Guitar body construction



Feb. 28, 1950 T. w. MITCHELL 2,498,926

GUITAR BODY CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 31, 1949 I i l "Ill" Thomas W. Mi Iche/l JNVENTOR.

BY MM 3% Feb. 28, 1950 T. w. MITCHELL GUITAR BODY CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fild Jan 31, 1949 Thomas W. Mitchell I HVVENTDR.

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Patented Feb. 28, 1950 GUITAR BODY CONSTRUCTION Thomas W. MitchelLSt. Louis, -Mo., assignor of forty-nine per cent to R. C. Man's, St. Louis,

Application January 31, 1949, SerialNo. 73,682

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improved ways and means which I have discovered in designing and perfecting the body and neck of a stringed musical instrument and has reference, in particular, to the fabrication of a wooden or equivalent guitar.

In terms of generalities, guitar makers usually employ carefully proportioned and choice pieces of'well seasoned stock and, pursuant to trade customs, flex and bend the components to conform to prerequisite shapes and dimensions. However, and, because of such modes of craftsmanship and fashioning, myriads of internal blocks, ribs and other braces are employed for stability and prescribed form sustaining requirements. Notwithstanding the finesse and careful workmanship invoked, the resultant product is such that the complemental counterparts set up resistive and counteracting forces, stresses and strains which, in due time, usually cause warping, unpredictable shape distortions, and tone affecting, deadening and strength weakening cracks.

I am not unmindful that fine instruments are made according to plan and custom and suffer no such mishaps, though it seem to me that the ever present conflicting and inherent forces constitute a potential likely to constantly present impending troubles. I have felt, for some time, that it may better serve the requirements of makers, sellers, and users to have an instrument so constructed that, minus tension presented when the strings are tautened, it is possessed of no appreciable source of interacting destructive forces.

In carrying out the principles of the instant invention, I have evolved and developed a guitar construction wherein the essential parts and pieces are patterned ingeniously, are precut on a shaping machine, are'buttressed and glued together, and being solid and unbent, organize into a substantially inert entity not susceptible of promoting cracks or equally objectionable deformations.

More particularly, the body of my instrument is characterized by a frame or rim made up of complemental blocks fitted and securely glued inend-to-end relation, said frame being covered with a one-piece top and a one-piece back with the grain of the top running transverse or crosswise and the grain of the back running lengthwise, whereby to unite the combining properties for interdependent cooperation and consequent unification and longevity.

n more importa'nt objective has to do with "a heretofore unequalled achievement, the adoption and use of an unusual neck construction which is unique in that the inner end is neatly and skillfully fashioned into a special adapter which constitutes an essential insert and complemental part of the stated rim and which is outstandingly significant because it contributes not only a cardinal component of the rim but is effective in that it does away with the usual clumsy neck joint and provides, instead, a hand adapting and accommodating formation which allows freedom of movement of the left hand-and wrist and a resultant extra reach for the fingers and ease of'fingering, with requisite dexterity, in the extreme upper register.

It follows that the primary object of my invention is to provide a novelly constructed body and, more importantly, to provide a strong and durable'neck unit which is thoroughly practical, upto-date and whose inner attached end corrects faulty contouring at its junctural connection with the body and offers graceful convex, receding and merging surfaces which are conducive to aiding the axial maneuvering of hand, wrist and fingers for unhampered use of the fingers in relation to fourteenth fret upwardly.

Other objectives and relevant phases relied upon in bringing this invention-to fruition will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In thedrawing:

Figure 1 is a top view of a guitar body constructed in accordance with the underlying principles of the present invention with the strings, tail piece, tuning devices and complemental accessories omitted for clearness of illustration of the essential features.

'Figure 2 is an edge or so-called side elevational view of the instrument shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section taken approximately on the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the horizontal line 4-4 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a cross-section on the line 5--5 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a perspective of one of the inserts or blocks used in the construction of the body rimming frame.

Figure 7 isa fragmentary horizontal section on the line 'l-lofFigure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring-now tothe drawing by distinguishing referenoenumerala-the body of the instrument and concavo-convex form, is one-piece and has its grain I 3 running lengthwise 'or at right angles to the grain II. The intervening frame between top and bottom is denoted by the numeral l4 and this may be designated either as aframe or a rim or perhaps a rimming-frame. The top and bottom pieces are glued to the corresponding edge portions of the frame to make up a solid hollow body.

The rim-frame is characteristicbecause instead of being of bent stock of either one or two pieces as usual it is made up of pre-cut solid andunbent blocks or inserts. It is perhaps unnecessary to refer specifically to all of the inserts but it is important to mention that they are disposed in abutting end-to-end relationship and are glued solidly together and are each shaped according to the position occupied in the make up of the customarily shaped rim. For example, there are two opposed curvate inserts or blocks l5 in opposed relation at the central restricted or narrowest part of the body. At the rearward end is a relatively large inset tail block I6 which is substantially ovate in' horizontal section and which has fiat ends to accommodate the two complemental buttressing blocks l1. Then, between the blocks l1 and ii are other inserts referred to by the numerals I8 without particu larity as to shape and form. In alignment with the tail block is the neck block l9 and this is also a good sized piece of wood and is concavo-convex in form with the principal convex surfaces disposed in an exterior direction. Before further discussing the block I8, I will describe the complemental buttressing front blocks or in-' serts 2i on opposite sides of the block I 9 and coacting with additional inserts 22 and 23 in forming the connections with the first-named inserts or blocks l5. Thus, the body is made up of a solid one-piece top 9 with grain H running crosswise opposed to the bottom or back l2 with I the grain running at right angles and an inter-j vening frame made up of a composite arrangement of inserts and blocks all of proper shapes. All of the blocks are cut out on a shaping machine and are inserted with accuracy and glued securely together. It will be noted in Figure 3 that the forward end portions of the top and back pieces are considerably thickened as at the points 24 and 25 to balance and thus withstand the stress and strain at the point where" the neck block is attached. This provides adequate reinforcement at a point in the body construction which is subjected to considerable strain not only from handling the body by way of the neck but due to tension on the strings (not shown).

The neck is denoted by the numeral 26 and is conventional in general appearance and includes a suitable head 27 with or without a scroll 2B. As thus shown the tuning keys, are usually in the head construction but may also be at the rear if and when necessary. I have shown the finger-board carried by the neck and this is denoted by the numeral 29 and is provided with customary frets 30. The numeral 3| designates the usual string supporting bridge.v Of essential importance is the junctural connections between h nne en f. h n ck. and .the. afore.-.n. ie n-v tioned neck insert or block l9, said connection being somewhat massive at the point 32. It is essential to have a rigid joint between the neck and the block and I have taken advantage of this arrangement by shaping the surfaces so as to provide a short bridging web or brace at 33. The surfaces of this part 33 are convex and merge and blendwithout obstruction and interruption into the convex surfaces of the block l9, the surfaces 20. By comparing Figure 2 with Figure '7 some idea of this contouring will be had. That is to say,v it will be seen that the junctural connection 32 is at the top portion of the block and in-a plane to the adjacent end portion of the top piece 9. There is no outstanding or abrupt abutment at this point such as is ordinarily found in regularly or conventionally constructed guitars.

Not only do I stress the fact that the convex 1 surfaces of the block 20 accommodate and adapt themselves to the palm" of the hand but coincide and complement the surfaces on the brace 33 in effecting a nicely shaped wooden crotch which fits into the crotch between the thumb and index finger of the players hand. In Figure 2 I have shown the hand and the manner in which the same is rolled around in an axial direction to permit the fingers to reach up well above the fourteenth fret and to permit the thumb to ride without obstruction against the receding and restricted surfaces which are employed.

The fact that the block [9 is a part of the rim or-frame, and the fact that the neck joins it by way of a short stubby but steady joint 32, and the fact that the surfaces on the parts l9 and 32 are preferably rounded and effectively contoured, give the performer considerable leeway in maneuvering the hand and manipulating the fingers without obstruction or without having to overcomea barrier, such as usually exists at this neck and body area.

Although it is of no moment in Figure 5 I have shown the neck as having a groove between itself and the finger board, said groove denoted by the numeral 34 which is there to accommodate certain wires used in an electric tone amplifier which may, if desired, be used in connection with this instrument. The groove is no part of the present invention. I

With further reference to my drawings (Figure 2) I have shown a line to denote where the 16th fret is, in practice, located. This same line, if drawn in the same manner through side elevation of a conventional guitar (not shown), would be at the center line of the 14th fret.

In a guitar the distance from the center line of the 14th fret, to the center line of the 16th fret, is one and one-quarter inches (1%"). I am sure that, with the construction conceived and incor porated into this invention, the neck will be sufficiently rigid, that it may be extended the nec essary one and one-quarter inches (1 A1), to bring the center line of the 16th fret into a vertical plane with the very outer edge of the guitar body, as shown by the stated pencil line on Figures 1 and 2.

In further explanation, well known, expensive models of conventional makes have twenty (20) frets in all. The distance from the center line of the 16th fret to the center line of the 20th fret is approximately two and three-thirty seconds inches (2 /32 It is hardly possible to crowd the four. fingers of the left hand into so small a space. It is apparent then that if the index finger of the left'hand were placed betweenthe 16th and l'lthfrets ias this .is.the

approximate position shown in Figure 2) and the remaining second, third and fourth fingers of the left hand were placed on the 18th, 19th and 20th (or last frets), respectively, the left hand would still be in a normal, relaxed position, with the fingers tracking one after another to form a straight line, as a straight line is imposed by the strings under tension.

Immaterial as it may seem, I have performed on guitar, with and for some of the noted guitarists, and musicians of this country, and I have yet to see a guitarist play above the 14th fret with any degree of comfort and relaxation, to say nothing of the accuracy involved in playing good music. In modern music, with many difficult passages, it is often necessary in order to complete a passage to reach as far as is practicable into the higher register, and then quickly jump the finger to a fret corresponding in tone,

but an octave lower, thus, losing the desired tonal effects of the higher register, as is often written in the original composition, but practical only for the most advanced, and finished guitarist, under great strain and difficulty.

Described summarily, this fingerboard and body construction is designed to give the average guitarist the full fingerboard on which any fret in the higher, as well as the lower register may be played without the usual resistance caused by having to distort the wrist and hand and often resorting to improper fingering.

Changes in shape, size, materials and rearrangement of details and parts may be resorted to in actual practice, so long as they do not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims, as is well understood.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A stringed musical instrument comprising a hollow neck equipped body comprising a top, bottom and intervening marginal rim-frame, said top being of one-piece construction with its grain running crosswise of the body, said bottom being likewise of one-piece construction and the grain thereof being disposed to run lengthwise of said body, and said rim-frame being constructed of a plurality of individually cut and shaped blocks, the latter being rigidly solid and disposed and glued together in end-to-end relation.

2. A wooden guitar comprising, a solid onepiece top, a solid one-piece bottom and an intervening rim-frame, the latter being constructed of a plurality of individually cut and shaped 6 blocks, the latter being rigidly solid and disposed and glued together in end-to-end relation.

3. A wooden guitar comprising, a solid onepiece top, a solid one-piece bottom and an intervening rim-frame, the latter being constructed of a plurality of individually cut and shaped blocks, the latter being rigidly solid and disposed and glued together in end-to-end relation, and embodying a centralized tail block ovate in longitudinal section and an aligned neck block of concavo-convex form with its convex side facing to the exterior of said body.

4. The structure of claim 3, together with a neck having an integrating joint merging smoothly and without prominence or interruption into the central top portion of said neck block.

5. A stringed musical instrument comprising a hollow neck equipped body comprising a top, bottom and intervening marginal rim-frame, said top being of one-piece construction with its grain running crosswise of the body, together with a neck provided at its inner end with a joint incorporated, as an integral part, in said rim-frame, said joint being relatively small with ccnvexed hand contacting surfaces, the latter receding and merging smoothly with said rimframe and reducing the degree of prominence to a minimum, whereby to conform to the crotch of the players hand and to allow the thumb free and unhampered play and activity and to render easy the extra reach required in fingering frets above the fourteenth fret.

6. As a new manufacture, a neck provided with a finger board, a head at its outer end and a block at its inner end, said block oonsituting an insert and being adapted for incorporation in the rim portion of a hollow body, be'ng at right angles to said neck with the latter joined at one end of the block by way of a thickened brace, said block being concave-convex and said brace having a convex surface merging smoothly and without obstruction into said block.

THOMAS W. MITCHELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 629,374 Kindig July 25, 18539 1,668,832 Swanson May 8, 1928 

